Why did fees go so high this year?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Hi,

New here and hope to post here through the process.

I'm from Texas, my fiancee is from Toronto, Ontario.

I've been researching this whole process for awhile now and have thought that the fees are quite extreme and have come to realize that they went up substantially this year. From $190 to $455? From $350 for AOS to $930?

To me this sounds crazy and it's awfully hard for my fiancee and I to afford those fees all at once delaying the process even longer. We make good money to live off of, but not so much to drop that much extra money all at once, so we are quite stressed out by this whole process.

Why did the fees go up so much from what they were and has there been any benefit to this?

-Paul

[Nik+Heather 121]

Firstly, K1 is the most expensive way to go. The CR-1 visa is much cheaper (total cost may be closer to 60%), and will allow your then spouse to work immediately upon arrival, rather than having to wait for several months without earning.

I think the fees were increased in 2007, but I am not sure if anything got better, I didn't come into the immigration "scene" until 2009 - and most of the active posters are just like me - it's hard to compare.

If you still want to go the K1 route, the big hits can come far away from each other - $455 at the beginning, and then it could be more than a year later to pay AOS, which is $1010. These don't include moving costs, medical exam costs, visa costs, wedding costs, air fare, postage or other documentation acquisition fees.

CR-1 costs $355 for the I130 application and then about 5 to 6 months later 70 and 400 to NVC. The medical exam costs and postage and moving will stay the same, but it's a savings of $700 or so, I think.

[Inky 1,110]

Please visit the canadian section of the forums if you have not already, it may be of use to you.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showforum=93

My husband and I had to take out a loan to pay for our AOS after we got married, and we also had some help from the family to afford half of the k-1 medical cost as well as some of the moving cost.

[norrin 3]

AND I have heard that some fees will go up in 2010. Everything will go up! Yes it is expensive but it is not all at once. Its chuncks here and there. If you go the K-1 route you will need the petition fee, the mailing of the petition, copies of all the paperwork (which can get expensive), Mailing things from there to here, if she needs to travel for the medical and/or interview, then a hotel, plane tickets, medical fee, visa fee, if she is bringing her stuff with her, travel expenses from there to here. If she has a pet...those expenses also. Then your marriage fees, your fee for biometrics and AOS. Everything you need to get for her once you start you life together, removal of conditions, and finally naturalization if thats what she wants. Also all the other stuff she may need.UGGS? haha

My Natasha is in Moscow as we speak tomorrow is her medical and she will go visit the Bishop to get papers signed then she has thursday when she will sightsee and friday she has the interview...Money? I am so excited and can hardly wait to see her smiling face at the airport, money is the last thing on my mind... it is worth it to be with my Natasha!

[pushbrk 12,892]

Hi,

New here and hope to post here through the process.

I'm from Texas, my fiancee is from Toronto, Ontario.

I've been researching this whole process for awhile now and have thought that the fees are quite extreme and have come to realize that they went up substantially this year. From $190 to $455? From $350 for AOS to $930?

To me this sounds crazy and it's awfully hard for my fiancee and I to afford those fees all at once delaying the process even longer. We make good money to live off of, but not so much to drop that much extra money all at once, so we are quite stressed out by this whole process.

Why did the fees go up so much from what they were and has there been any benefit to this?

-Paul

It really doesn't matter why or when because it is what it is but the fees went up in July, 2007, not this year. A saying we use here often when discussing foreign fiancee or spouse issues is "No money, no honey". The process is expensive. At least you're coming from Canada, not Africa or Asia.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi,

New here and hope to post here through the process.

I'm from Texas, my fiancee is from Toronto, Ontario.

I've been researching this whole process for awhile now and have thought that the fees are quite extreme and have come to realize that they went up substantially this year. From $190 to $455? From $350 for AOS to $930?

To me this sounds crazy and it's awfully hard for my fiancee and I to afford those fees all at once delaying the process even longer. We make good money to live off of, but not so much to drop that much extra money all at once, so we are quite stressed out by this whole process.

Why did the fees go up so much from what they were and has there been any benefit to this?

-Paul

Not to defend fee increases (something I never do) but the AOS fee now includes the I-765 and I-131 if filed at the same time. So if you file for all three there really is no fee increase. Also, I have it on very good authority we can expect fees to increase again, 30-50% across the board within 12 months

[Seb928s 2]

Hi,

New here and hope to post here through the process.

I'm from Texas, my fiancee is from Toronto, Ontario.

I've been researching this whole process for awhile now and have thought that the fees are quite extreme and have come to realize that they went up substantially this year. From $190 to $455? From $350 for AOS to $930?

To me this sounds crazy and it's awfully hard for my fiancee and I to afford those fees all at once delaying the process even longer. We make good money to live off of, but not so much to drop that much extra money all at once, so we are quite stressed out by this whole process.

Why did the fees go up so much from what they were and has there been any benefit to this?

-Paul

Not to defend fee increases (something I never do) but the AOS fee now includes the I-765 and I-131 if filed at the same time. So if you file for all three there really is no fee increase. Also, I have it on very good authority we can expect fees to increase again, 30-50% across the board within 12 months

Hopefully it won't be in the early half of the next year. Also I have saved up in the last 3 months the AOS 1010$ fee sitting in my bank account when for us to file when we do finally get done with the process of getting her here from Poland. You do have a point with the I-765 and I-131 forms. Also love is forever and it's only paper that the money is printed on, with the dollar dropping so quick it's actually becoming cheaper if you think of it in the world term if that makes any sence. If your other has some saved up money overseas most likely she will be able to buy more USD at todays rate then 2 years ago.

[Arabella 4]

Hi,

New here and hope to post here through the process.

I'm from Texas, my fiancee is from Toronto, Ontario.

I've been researching this whole process for awhile now and have thought that the fees are quite extreme and have come to realize that they went up substantially this year. From $190 to $455? From $350 for AOS to $930?

To me this sounds crazy and it's awfully hard for my fiancee and I to afford those fees all at once delaying the process even longer. We make good money to live off of, but not so much to drop that much extra money all at once, so we are quite stressed out by this whole process.

Why did the fees go up so much from what they were and has there been any benefit to this?

-Paul

Not to defend fee increases (something I never do) but the AOS fee now includes the I-765 and I-131 if filed at the same time. So if you file for all three there really is no fee increase. Also, I have it on very good authority we can expect fees to increase again, 30-50% across the board within 12 months

Hopefully it won't be in the early half of the next year. Also I have saved up in the last 3 months the AOS 1010$ fee sitting in my bank account when for us to file when we do finally get done with the process of getting her here from Poland. You do have a point with the I-765 and I-131 forms. Also love is forever and it's only paper that the money is printed on, with the dollar dropping so quick it's actually becoming cheaper if you think of it in the world term if that makes any sence. If your other has some saved up money overseas most likely she will be able to buy more USD at todays rate then 2 years ago.

I hope it's not before April. My fiance doesn't want to get married until the end of April.

Edited November 11, 2009 by Arabella

[SuperDuper! 230]

Firstly, K1 is the most expensive way to go. The CR-1 visa is much cheaper (total cost may be closer to 60%), and will allow your then spouse to work immediately upon arrival, rather than having to wait for several months without earning.

I think the fees were increased in 2007, but I am not sure if anything got better, I didn't come into the immigration "scene" until 2009 - and most of the active posters are just like me - it's hard to compare.

If you still want to go the K1 route, the big hits can come far away from each other - $455 at the beginning, and then it could be more than a year later to pay AOS, which is $1010. These don't include moving costs, medical exam costs, visa costs, wedding costs, air fare, postage or other documentation acquisition fees.

CR-1 costs $355 for the I130 application and then about 5 to 6 months later 70 and 400 to NVC. The medical exam costs and postage and moving will stay the same, but it's a savings of $700 or so, I think.

But if someone really needs to pinch pennies and put a price tag on love, then they should just get a local spouse on their own home turf. Being pressured to get married after being with each other for a total of 60 actual days or less in his or her country, (after counting up all the visit days, which may really be closer to 4 weeks total for most folks), then 18 months later find out that things are not going to work out so then its divorce time.... Well, you get the pic. Not a good deal financially,

Having up to 90 days to decide to get married by living together is a great confirmation step for many of us. So while the CR1 costs less initially, it may not in the long run. I like the old saying, "Every middle-aged divorced man would like to have a mail-order bride, but not all can afford the postage."

The petitioner should have several thousand cash in the bank on the day that beneficiary lands at the airport. If not, then the decision to bring her here should be looked at again. Pinching pennies is no way to start a new love and life with someone. I do respect your opinion, though, Cheers.

[The_Sage1 2]

My best guess is that the governement wants far less people immigrating into the United States, hence skyrocketing prices. That, combined with greed and carelessness.

[SunDrop 59]

It's more to do with the fact that the USCIS has to be entirely self-funding. And they're already working with a budgetary deficit this year...

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Firstly, K1 is the most expensive way to go. The CR-1 visa is much cheaper (total cost may be closer to 60%), and will allow your then spouse to work immediately upon arrival, rather than having to wait for several months without earning.

I think the fees were increased in 2007, but I am not sure if anything got better, I didn't come into the immigration "scene" until 2009 - and most of the active posters are just like me - it's hard to compare.

If you still want to go the K1 route, the big hits can come far away from each other - $455 at the beginning, and then it could be more than a year later to pay AOS, which is $1010. These don't include moving costs, medical exam costs, visa costs, wedding costs, air fare, postage or other documentation acquisition fees.

CR-1 costs $355 for the I130 application and then about 5 to 6 months later 70 and 400 to NVC. The medical exam costs and postage and moving will stay the same, but it's a savings of $700 or so, I think.

But if someone really needs to pinch pennies and put a price tag on love, then they should just get a local spouse on their own home turf. Being pressured to get married after being with each other for a total of 60 actual days or less in his or her country, (after counting up all the visit days, which may really be closer to 4 weeks total for most folks), then 18 months later find out that things are not going to work out so then its divorce time.... Well, you get the pic. Not a good deal financially,

Having up to 90 days to decide to get married by living together is a great confirmation step for many of us. So while the CR1 costs less initially, it may not in the long run. I like the old saying, "Every middle-aged divorced man would like to have a mail-order bride, but not all can afford the postage."

The petitioner should have several thousand cash in the bank on the day that beneficiary lands at the airport. If not, then the decision to bring her here should be looked at again. Pinching pennies is no way to start a new love and life with someone. I do respect your opinion, though, Cheers.

Marrying local talent to save money can be very expensive. Agreed, it is worth double the cost, and it really shouldn't be an issue or the deciding factor in which visa to choose. A few hundred dollars is pretty small potatoes in what should be a lifetime commitment.

[TracyTN 237]

It's more to do with the fact that the USCIS has to be entirely self-funding. And they're already working with a budgetary deficit this year...

[baron555 934]

Hi,

New here and hope to post here through the process.

I'm from Texas, my fiancee is from Toronto, Ontario.

I've been researching this whole process for awhile now and have thought that the fees are quite extreme and have come to realize that they went up substantially this year. From $190 to $455? From $350 for AOS to $930?

To me this sounds crazy and it's awfully hard for my fiancee and I to afford those fees all at once delaying the process even longer. We make good money to live off of, but not so much to drop that much extra money all at once, so we are quite stressed out by this whole process.

Why did the fees go up so much from what they were and has there been any benefit to this?

-Paul

To me the fees are a small portion of the total cost of bringing together an international relationship. A benefit is that folks who really can not afford the fees probably also can not afford to support the fiance(e) and therefore are automatically eliminated and avoid folks going bankrupt or becoming a public charge.

It's should be a one time investment and will only increase in the future, as stated.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Ah, I had seen a couple of websites with updates showing the prices lower earlier this year, so that's why I thought it was so soon. Apparently those sites need to update themselves! lol.

In all honesty, it's just not that easy to save/put down the cash. It's fine for living wise and everything but some of us don't have the extra money to save up quickly enough to get our love here. It's not impossible to save, just hard with every other piled on bills. - Some of us just don't make as much money as some of you with the snobby attitude about it want us to.

Does that mean we should not have our shot at love?

Let's be honest. Immigration laws and fees are complete BS. When you have the millions upon millions of hispanic illegals (and yes, i know there are others too) in this country, it's a damn shame that such a burden is put onto those who want to do things the proper way. It should be nothing more than a simple background check and then boom you're in. None of this other red-tape BS.

My fiancee and I will get there soon enough and will be filing the initial I-129F in the next month or so, but doesn't mean we don't have to like the process as I'm sure many of you don't like the process either. We do what we have to do I suppose and we will continue to do so because we love each other and want to be together. In the end that's all that matters.